Director of Artificial Intelligence

Job Description

Job Description – Director of Innovation (Artificial Intelligence)

About the Role

We are seeking a visionary and strategic Innovation Director to lead the design, development, and execution of our artificial intelligence (AI) innovation strategy. This executive-level role will be central to shaping the company’s long-term competitive advantage through AI adoption, embedding emerging technologies into products, services, and internal processes.

The Innovation Director will not only drive the development of AI-powered solutions but also serve as a thought leader, change agent, and culture builder. By partnering with leadership, engineering, product, R&D, sales, marketing, and external stakeholders, this role ensures the organization remains at the forefront of AI-driven transformation while maintaining a strong commitment to ethics, governance, and measurable business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define, communicate, and execute a forward-looking AI innovation roadmap, aligned with company strategy and long-term growth objectives.
• Prioritize high-impact AI opportunities across multiple domains, including product development, customer experience, and operational excellence.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive team on AI adoption, investment, and risk mitigation.

Technology Scouting & Innovation Pipeline

• Continuously monitor global AI trends, platforms, and research breakthroughs to identify disruptive opportunities.
• Lead the evaluation and piloting of new technologies, from generative AI and advanced analytics to automation and decision-support systems.
• Build scalable frameworks for identifying, testing, and transitioning AI innovations from concept to market-ready solutions.

Execution & Program Leadership

• Oversee end-to-end delivery of AI initiatives, including architecture, development, deployment, and performance measurement.
• Establish best practices in MLOps, governance, and responsible AI use.
• Ensure new solutions deliver measurable ROI and competitive differentiation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with R&D, product, engineering, and data science teams to embed AI into core offerings.
• Collaborate with Sales to identify client-specific AI opportunities and co-create solutions that strengthen relationships and drive revenue.
• Work with Marketing to amplify thought leadership through blogs, articles, speaking engagements, and multimedia content.

Culture & Change Management

• Cultivate an AI-literate culture across the organization, offering workshops, training, and internal communications to increase adoption and reduce resistance.
• Act as a “possibility catalyst,” helping teams understand and embrace how AI reshapes workflows, roles, and opportunities.
• Encourage experimentation, calculated risk-taking, and innovation as core cultural values.

Governance, Ethics & Risk Management

• Champion responsible AI practices, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with regulatory and ethical standards.
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to data privacy, security, and algorithmic bias.
• Serve as the company’s voice on ethical AI in both internal policy and external engagements.

External Engagement & Thought Leadership

• Represent the company in conferences, academic forums, and strategic industry partnerships.
• Build relationships with research institutions, AI vendors, and government/industry bodies to expand the company’s innovation ecosystem.
• Position the organization as a recognized leader in AI-driven transformation.

Impact Measurement & Accountability

• Define success metrics and innovation KPIs that tie directly to business outcomes.
• Track ROI across AI initiatives and communicate results to the executive team and key stakeholders.
• Continuously refine strategies based on data, lessons learned, and evolving market conditions.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, or related field; MBA or equivalent executive degree strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in innovation, AI/ML strategy, or product development.
• Proven track record of delivering AI solutions at scale, from ideation through deployment and commercialization.
• Deep expertise in AI architectures (e.g., transformers, generative models), ML frameworks, and modern infrastructure for AI/ML workloads.
• Demonstrated knowledge of responsible AI frameworks, model bias mitigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Exceptional executive presence, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical audiences.
• Recognized as a thought leader through publications, patents, speaking engagements, or community leadership.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience driving innovation in startups, scale-ups, or fast-evolving business environments.

What We Offer

• A leadership role with significant influence on company strategy and market positioning.
• The opportunity to shape the direction of AI innovation in a dynamic and growth-oriented environment.
• Autonomy to launch pilots, build partnerships, and scale new solutions across the business.
• Access to advanced AI infrastructure, tools, and global partnerships.
• Professional development opportunities, including executive education, industry conferences, and leadership forums.
• A collaborative culture that values creativity, experimentation, and ethical innovation.